You are either a Predator, or Prey

One of the thing I love about MMO’s is that it’s a sort of hyper reality, people bring things to new levels, being an asshole is one of those things.

Tell you the truth though, I’ve grown a little disgusted with this world. We give out ribbons for participation, we make everyone feel like a winner, even when they lose. We censure ourselves because we don’t want to become verbally abusive, or we start campaigns against bullying. I just finished a couple of older blogposts, and though on one hand I support their message. There is right, and there is wrong.

Unfortunately we are not in the world of Carebears, where Sunshine Bear will help us if we fall down. We live in a cold, dark, and stark reality. A person needs to develop a thick skin, and one does not develop a thick skin unless we put them out in harm’s way, and let them learn about how harsh the world really is. Humans are basically no better than animals, oh sure we hide behind our facade of civilization, and manners, alas underneath it all we are no better than wolves, or lions. You appear weak, then you are prey.

I don’t condone bullying, or using the word rape, stereotypical slurs, or anything else bad. It’s wrong…but good people already know it’s wrong. The people who do it, won’t stop until they either change their perspective, or their way of thinking. I’ve been a fat person all my life, and kids can be pretty vicious at times. I had to live with being called fat all my life. It made me develop a thick skin. I don’t cry to mommy, I don’t get upset, or angry even. I pity that person because of it. I pity them that in order for them to feel like they have self-worth, they must insult me.

Here’s my point, Even though I try to follow Wil Wheaton’s law of “Don’t Be A Dick”. I don’t think pleading with people to stop this behavior will work, what we need to do is give the people who it’s happening to a way to stand up for themselves, we must give the prey a chance to fight back, to appear strong, to become a predator.

7 Responses to “You are either a Predator, or Prey”

I personally would rephrase the “predator/prey” statement to be that we need to be able to empower people much better, not necessarily make them predators in their own right. (Maybe I’m reading too much into the metaphor)

I total meant second. We all know second commenters are better… Damn it my whole point of jerk predators is blown out the window because the dude above me is faster and better. Gawd I’m such a SHEEP! I need an achievement to make myself feel better

First of all I suck, I know scary, and gamer…I have to admit Predator is maybe a little bit of a stronger word then I liked to use, but I’m a showman, and I like words that have a little bit of a shock value.

“what we need to do is give the people who it’s happening to a way to stand up for themselves”

No, what we need to do is create spaces where spouting slurs is socially unacceptable. It’s still socially acceptable to make racist jokes in trade chat,so people still do it. What we need to do is show that it’s not okay by calling people out, shaming them, refusing to let them in our guilds, ignoring them, etc.

In short, telling people who are being harassed to just suck it up doesn’t help them or anyone. It just silently condones people being assholes.